immortalite when they haue sene a sycke man receiue the sacrameÌ„t not a quarter of an houre before his natural deth as though in that man the host consecrate wherein the body of Christ in present shulde with goddes iniury moulde or corrupt wast and consume And yet these right vses of the most blessed sacrament coÌ„teyne as straunge matter to mans seÌ„ses and carnall iudgement as do the leude and blasphemouse tales deuised and tolde wherby to inueigle mens vnderstaÌ„dynges and spoyle them of their true byleef And yet also these breakinges and vses of the moost blessed sacrament were neuer hyddeÌ„ in the churche ne kept secrete as thoughe the true belefe shulde therby decay or be diminished The churche hath not forborne to preache the truthe to the confusion of mans senses and vnderstanding whervnto men faithfull and obedient haue yelded acknowleginge gods omnipotency which mans reasoÌ„ can not matche The true churche hath taughte plainly and teacheth that by the omnipotencie of gods worde the substaunce of bred is conuerted to the substaunce of Christes natural bodye whiche is there then by his myghty power not by mutacyon of place by leauynge of heauen where he is euer present but by his infinite power wherby he can do all and of a specyal fauour to wardes vs worketh continually in his churche this mysterye and miracle and in forme of bread and wyne exhibiteth and presenteth himself to be eaten drunken of vs So as there is in the sacrameÌ„t of thaulter none other substaunce but the substaunce of the body and bloud of our sauiour christe yet remayneth the fourme and accidentes of bread and wyne not altered by this myracle froÌ„ knowledge of the senses wherwith they were before known also by gods sufferaunce subiecte to the same passibilite they were in before And yet here in this mystery and myracle wrought by gods power we acknowledge y t contrary to the comeÌ„ ordre of nature the substaunce of bred beyng conuerted into the naturall bodely substauÌ„ce of our sauiour Christ the other accideÌ„tes of bred wyne as quantities qualities remayne stil without iniury of Christes most preciouse body be as we dayly se altered broken and remayniÌ„g abyding without theyr owne fourmer substaÌ„ce of the creatures of bred wine whervnto they were by nature adioyned do now seruice theyr creatoure there present the very substauÌ„ce of all substaunces vnder which accidentes that is to say as we truely speake vnder fourme of bred and wine the naturall body receyued of vs iÌ„ the sacrameÌ„t of thaulter who so ordred himselfe to be eaten and dronken of vs in his last supper whiche continueth styll tyll the worldes ende with a perpetuall continuaunce also of the meruelouse workynge of the same festemaker presence of the same most preciouse meate Christe him selfe cum ipse sit coÌ„uiua conuiuiuÌ„ wher w t he coÌ„tinually fedeth such as come vnto hym in his churche which church according to his commaundement by special mynisters deputed thervnto vseth and exerciseth the same fest in the most holy masse where vnto good christen meÌ„haue daily accesse which most holy feste when men abuse as the Corynthians dyd it is their condemnation and can be nothyng preuidiciall or daungerouse to good mennes true beleef Suche I saye as haue their faith established vpon the true teachyng of the church that after the wordes of consecration the substaunce of bread is turned into the substaunce of the natural body and bloude of our Sauiour Christe Against which teachyng good men kicke not with howes and whattes for that is a token of incredulite if the chauÌ„cell were with fyre sodenly burned as hath happened by diuerse chaunces they thinke not christ that is god immortall there killed because he was there in the hoste after consecracion or forbeare anye whyt lesse to worshyp christ whom with theyr eyes of faith they se present in the sacrament of thaulter because their bodely syght perceyueth not any visible alteracion of the host before the consecracion after fynally such good meÌ„ beleue most stedfastly without sclaunder of theyr senies that the breakynge of the most blessed sacrament by the ministre in the masse doth no violacioÌ„ to christes most precious body there present â—e breaketh the most precyouse body whiche is impassible but only the fourme of bread vnder whiche it is coÌ„teyned and that the same most precyouse bodye is after hooly in eche of the partes of the host broken without any encrease in nuÌ„ber as thoughe there were theÌ„ many christes preseÌ„t but alwayes one christ the same christ But y e deuyl taketh his oportunite of mans carnall lyuynge whiles the bely hath the vpperhaÌ„d among a great many of the world by reason wher of the senses be had in estimation sturreth vp this abhominable heresy against the most blessed sacrament of the aulter vpon the senses maketh the chyefe groundes wherby now that afore was passed ouer in sylence when mennes senses were brought in obedience with true byleef is questioned and enquyred of as a newe matter And nowe men be asked how a mouse can eate god howe god can corrupt and waxe mo uld how god can be broken in pâ—eces which be fondly framed questioÌ„s And to y e great prouocatioÌ„ of gods hygh indignation blasphemously vttered Answer me then saith the deuyll by his apostels wherunto a true aunswere is this and the simplicitie required in a christeÌ„ maÌ„ sufficient Beleue that a mouse can not deuour god byleue that god can not corrupt Beleue that god can not be broken now after he is ones riseÌ„ and beleue also therwith that Christ god and man is naturally presente in the sacrament of thaulter For so Christe saith So the church of god teacheth So we be bounde to byleue If thou beest further taughte of the deuyll to replye y t if there remayne in y e host no substaunce but the substaunce of the body and bloude of Christ it must nedes be then that the same corrupteth or elles when goth it awaye or where haue ye scripture to declare the going away and departyng of Christ from the hoost And if Christ departe then is there no substaunce remayning where is no substaunce is nothynge And so thou wylte saye as the deuell lerueth the that by this teaching we shall haue nothynge somwhat And in dede the deuyl hath taught the to speake somewhat that is in effecte nothynge or worse then nothynge wherunto if men in these dayes can not aunswer probablye as I doubt not a great number can and yet in this tyme the world is rather occupied in garnyshynge the tonge with wordes theÌ„ to entre the further consyderatioÌ„ of iÌ„tricate sophistication wherby to be able to refell the same Shall the true faith of the churche in this hyghe mystery perish in the by the deuyls secrete tentation bycause I or such other can not aunswer thy sophisticall argument
reason there appeareth not in scripture any institution of this nature For we rede not in scripture that Chryste dydde prescribe any suche precyse ordre of receiuing or ministryng â–ª but as in his supper he in dede consecrated both kindes ministred bothe kyndes whereby appearethe that all myghte receaue bothe kindes as all sometime haue done Soo lykewise when he mynystred the sacrament to his disciples in Emaus and other amonge the apostles who vnderstode Christe we reade of the ministracion of the one kynde wherby appeareth that the one kynd vnder forme of bread may be ministred alone And therefore of any suche institucyon as y e worde institution doth sounde at the first hearing is not testified in scriptures But yf we meane by institution the firste consecration of it when by goddes mighty worde the miracle was wroughte in the conuersion of breade and wyne in to the body and bloud of christ w t commaundemente to the churche to do the same tyll he comme Of this the euangelistes beare wytnesse which the church hath receiued And as s Paule saide Ego accepi à domino quod tradidi vobis So the hole churche may saye the same wordes with lyke credite by whose mynystery the same feast is dayly prepared for y e hole church with consecracion of the body and bloude of Christe whereof good men reioysynge them self with the presence of the hole mystery which they se in the masse at which tyme good meÌ„ also spiritually eate and drynke the same with the common mynystre and beleuynge the hole to be in eche kynde haue by example of christes disciples in Emaus contented them self in the sacramental communion with the one kynde not repelled as vnworthie to receyue the other kynde but forbearynge of them selfe reuerently for the more semelye distribucion and ordre amonge them whiche the churche hath allowed as our mother and nourse who contynually feadeth vs with the foode of truth And therfore seing we be assured that as Chryst dyd institute the sacrament so he instituted the church to be fedde with the same sacrament and to haue the ministracion distribution ordre of it tyll he came And vnto this daye we be onely ascertayned by tradicion of the church in the true vnderstandyng of theuaÌ„gelystes of our ordre in coÌ„secracion of the said sacrament and the cyrcumstaunce of the pronunciation of chrystes wordes wherby the same is wrought What can it meane but confusion to wrangle with the church in this matter by cauilacioÌ„ of wordes trouble y e symple vnderstandynges What a worde is institution with the vnderstandyng they geue it to astoine the rude eares For who can suffre to here spoken that Christes institution shulde be broken or altered considering the word carieth with it a sonnde of precysenes and commaundemente in Christe of this or that ordre whiche can not be verified speakynge of the institution of the sacramente and the worde well vnderstoode maye be suffred sygnifienge the fyrste exhibicion and ministracion of it And so some wryte that as Chryste dydde in the syxte of IohnÌ„ promise the institution of the sacramente sayenge Panis quem dabo uobis caro mea est pro mundi vita The breade I shall gyue you is my flesh for the lyfe of the worlde So dydde he institute the same in his laste supper of whiche institucion men wolde nowe make a precise lawe as the ordre shulde be taken awaye from the churche mother of truthe whiche folowynge Christes example and the apostels hath suffered coÌ„munion vnder one kynd and hath reiected suche as wolde improue the same as men onely studiouse to impugne an establyshed ordre whiche faulte is now moche spred abrode both in this high matter also in ceremonies and namelye suche as garnisshe Christes religion wherein the deuyl vseth a merueilsouse point of sophistry by diuision and examininge partes alone whiche partes so considered seuerallye be nothynge and yet ioyned togither be somewhat and verye necessarye and here I saye necessary for our estate although not necessarye in respect of the pryncypall thynge I wyl open this point of sophistry whyche consystethe in dyuysyon in whiche the smalenes of the part deuyded from the reste and consydered alone is in respecte of the hole called nothing And in comen speache it hath obteined to cal that nothinge which by comparison of a farre greater is very lytell As yf one were asked whither a farthinge wolde make a ryche man A simple man wolde aunswere Naye and in dede a farthing considered alone is nothinge regarded and yet of suche lyttell farthinges in numbre set togither ryches coÌ„systeth by the same disseuered is induced pouertie A quantitie maye be so minutely deuided that his partes be accompted nothinge yet those same together ioyned make the greate masse and haue an estimation And therfore in the dyscussion of ceremonies semelynes and orders the deuyl frameth his questions by diuysion and asketh of eche thynge alone disseuered from the reste As for example Whither a shauen crowne maketh a preiste where vnto a man muste aunswere as he wolde do to the question of a farthinge before moued and saye Naye Well ê™ the deuyll then awaye with youre crowne and calleth it a fleshmarke because he wyl with a nycke name deface it Then he asketh whether a longe gowne maketh a preist of that colour or that fashyon then it must be aunswered Naye And then there must be a songe made of it with awaye with it Then the deuyll commeth to the ceremonies in ordres geuinge and asketh of ceremonies seuerallye alone whervnto as he disseuereth them y e aunswere must be no whervpon he concludeth Ergo they be nothinge requisite After whyche sorte he shall also diuide you the sacramentall wordes and aske of euery worde of them alone And as it is graunted how that one word doth it not that worde is layde aside And so he wyll peruse all and by sophistrye in deuision wipe out all as nothinge And in other matters lykewise frame this question for example Shall forbearinge of meates saue a man The aunswer must be No. And then Ergo eate all daye longe Dothe watchinge bringe a man to heauen Naye Ergo slepe and spare not Is y e place cause why a mans praier is good The aunswere muste be Nay And what nedeste thou comme to churche then sayth the deuyll onles it be to heare my false teachynge set forthe And thus by these subtle questions the deuyll robbeth simple men euen of the substaunce by degrees of true religion as parasites and flatterers robbe wanton heyres of their worldlyge substauÌ„ce by alluring them to prodigall and wastefull distribution of their goâ—des and landes in seueral litle portions with these questions to the wise yonge maÌ„ what is this to you sir a small matter in your purse and nothinge to youre substaunce But by suche nothinges we haue sene yonge heyres sodeÌ„ly brought to nothinge and made verye
A DETECTION OF THE Deuils Sophistrie wherwith he robbeth the vnlearned people of the true byleef in the most blessed Sacrament of the aulter Timeo ne sicut serpens euam seduxit astutia sua ita corrumpantur sensus uestri excidant asimplicitate 2. Cor. 11. 1546. ¶ STEVEN Bisshoppe of Winchester to the reader COnsyder gentle reader how ful of iniquite this tyme is in whiche the hyghe mysterie of our religion is so opeÌ„ly assaulted Byleue not euery spirite and mystruste thyne owne iudgement aboue the reache of thy capacite If thou beest hungry for knowledge take hede thou fallest not on euery careyn Be desyrouse of the very truth and seke it as thou art ordered by the direction of Christes churche and not as deceytfull teachers wold leade the by theyr secrete waies Folow God and his mynisters whom he ordereth to rule and rather conforme knowlege to agre with obedience where goddes truthe repugnethe not vnto it then with violation of obedience which is a displeasaunt fault to enterprise the subuersion of goddes honoure and glory Finally reade wheÌ„ thou readest with fauour to that truth whiche the consent of Christes churche hath from the beginnynge commended vnto vs and reuerentlye at theyr handes receyue the true vnderstaÌ„dynge of scriptures whose true testimonie hath certified vs of the selfe same scriptures And haue alwaies in remembraunce the wordes of saint Iames howe God resisteth the presumptuouse and arrogant and geueth grace to suche as be in spirite meke and lowly whiche gyfte God graunte the and well to feare A DETECTION OF the Deuyls Sophistrie wherwith he robbeth y e vnlearned people of the true belefe in the moost blessed Sacrament of the aulter THe first chiefe and pryncypall poynt of deceyte and sophistry is to make euery maÌ„ thiÌ„ke of him selfe further then is in dede in him by this persuasioÌ„ that god graunteth true vnderstandinge and wisedome to euery man that wold haue it hath nede of it asketh it in his name whiche hathe suche an euydente truth in it as no man can dyrectly deny it and gainesay it for so god doth in dede yet not so as the vnlerned do take it thinketh it to be vnderstanded For albeit god giueth al knowlege to fede the soule as he giueth also all foode and nourriture to the corporall bodies and it is for both generally sayd Iacta super dominum curaÌ„ tuam et ipse te enutriet â–ª wherin god hath also to shew his omnipotency giueÌ„ sodenlye speche to them that could not speake as to Ieremy geuen the vnlerned sodenly knowlege to confound the great clerkes chaunged water into wine in a moment to make chere to gestes of the feast and multiplied by his blessing the fiue loues to the necessary releef of the hungry fed his people with manna in desert and geuen theÌ„ for releef out of the hard dry stone water Yet we may not hereof presume that god bycause he can alwaies therfore also he wil alwaies contynually worke new myracles and giue his giftes out of ordre and make heruest in February or children and rude ignorantes lerned before they go to scoole And in dede we myght aswel and better aske our bodely foode without our labour and sesonable time as aske the knowledge of lernynge to instructe the soule without tyme or â—ue endeuor wherwith to attayne the same It is goddes worke that we come by it when we come by it with our labour and teachynge of other for neque qui plantat est aliquid neque ê— rigat sed qui incrementum dat deus And we that in our Pater noster aske our daylye bread knowledge it to come of god when we haue it and yet no man bosteth him selfe to haue it by cause he hath asked it or loketh otherwise for it but by thapplyeng of his labour and industry thervnto which persuasion if these symple vnlerned had in the atteinynge of wisedome they wold mistrust their owne iudgement and thinke themself as they be vnlerned and with out longe exercise and diligent endeuor with a vessell mete and apte to receiue the same not thinke theÌ„ selfe to haue obteined that gifte of god ne be able for want therof to discusse of lerning This false persuasion of lerning wherewith the deuyll inueigleth the simple and ingendreth in them a pryde of conninge and vnderstandinge whiche they haue not is the foundacion roote wherupon is buylded and groweth false doctrine in the high misteryes of our religion specyally in the most blessed SacrameÌ„t of thaulter wherin diuerse haue of late peuersely reasoned vnlearnedly spoken w t such presuÌ„ptuouse pride intollerable arrogancy as declare plainly the same to procede of the spirite of the deuyl ful of errours lyes blyndenes ignoraunce by reason wherof they stuÌ„ble in the playne way can not see in the mydde day For what can be more euidently spoken of the preseÌ„ce of Christes natural body and bloud in the most blessed sacrameÌ„t of the aulter theÌ„ is in those wordes of scripture whiche our Sauioure Christ ones said and be infallible truth and styll sayth in consecration of this most holy Sacrament by the coÌ„mon ministre of y e church This is my body But againste this truth the deuyll striueth and fyghteth by his ministers lewde apostles with sophistical deuyses wherwith he troubleth the grosse imaginacioÌ„s of the symple people And hauynge ones enchaunted the rude wyttes with this charme of presuÌ„ptuouse knowledge wherof I spake before wherby the ignorauÌ„t waxeth so arrogaÌ„t as he maketh himself able to iudge and discerne betwene playnnes and craft bytwene reason and sophisticacion betwene argument and argument exposition and expositioÌ„ suche as be thus ouerthrowen in their iudgement and so blynded in themselfe the deuyll easely entangleth and byndeth fast to him with carnall reasons deceitfull expositions crooked argumentes and counterfet coÌ„tradictioÌ„s and therby leadeth them away captiue and thralde from the true catholtque byleefe in this moost holye sacramente which sophystry and deceptes be diuersely tempered after these sortes AND FYRST to the carnall man the deuyll bringeth carnall reasons and for conformation and proufe of them calleth to witnes the carnall senses both of the bodye and soule And streyght thyne eye sayeth there is but bread and wyne Thy tast saith the same Thy felinge and smellynge agre fully with them Herevnto is added the carnall mans vnderstandyng whiche bycause it taketh the begynning of the senses procedeth in reasoning sensually And as the Epicures dyd concludeth that y e senses togither can not be deceyued wherevpon also the Epicurians saide the sonne was but two fote brode because theyr eye iudged it to be no bygger And from this they wolde not be brought but remayned as ferme in that foly as some heretiques do in this mischeuous deuellysh misbeleefe against the moost blessed Sacrament of the aulter Wherefore all suche as ground their errour agaynst
Christ was very God and perfyght mā and without iniury to his godhed whiche is impassible suffered neuerthelesse naturall death for he was naturall man without synne and when we knowe this truth assuredly by faith regarde not what all our senses repugne to the contrarye ne we do not leane to their testimony in it So in this high mystery of the sacrament of thaulter when we knowe by faith the presence of Christes naturall body and bloud by the mighty operaciō of his word prouoūced in the consecratiō by y e minister what a tentation is it of the deuyl to kepe a court w t our sēses carnall reasoning which be blind can not vnderstāde it of thē to make an enquest to knowe whyther my byleef therin be right or no which senses if they had bē enquired of christes body being cōuersaūt in erth theyr testimony had bē of christ y t he was but a man as other were euen as they now affyrme the Sacrament to be but brede as other brede is Theyr capacite is no further and therfore it is a madnes and ouer rude grossenes to commen with them in a matter I knowe well they can no skille of But herin we shulde leane to our faith groūded vpon goddes truth and confesse all to be so as god worketh by his omnipotēcy and therwith acknowledge the weakenes of mans capacite not able to comprehende it forasmuch as the plaine wordes of scripture declare and testifie vnto vs the presence of y e most preciouse bodye and bloud of our Sauiour Christ in the sacramēt of thaulter we should not be shaken or altered from that byleef what so euer oure sēses or carnal vnderstāding shuld barke to the cōtrary If myne eye seeth the host cōsecrate broken whiche is dayly done in the masse or deuoured by a mouse or otherwise percase abused whiche happeneth rarely is this a iust cause why my faith shulde by and by wauer and mystrust the truth by god declared vnto me Or els must carnal reasō and vnderstāding be satisfied how it commeth to passe that standyng our faith in the most blessed sacrament of the presence of the natural body and bloude of our sauioure Christ the same sacrament may be broken the same may be deuoured of the mouse the same maye be corrupte or otherwise mysused Whervnto fyrst I saye this that if after the wordes of consecratiō the hoste consecrate were so by god preserued from the iniuries and violences of other creatures as it eoulde not be brokē deuoured or corrupt it were such an outwarde myracle to the open confusiō of our carnal senses as wherby to take away the merite of our faith For vnto the faithfull suche myracles as saint Paule saith be not shewed but to the infidels And a good true christen beleuyng man knoweth this by faith that good is inuiolable impassible incorruptible immortall and that our sauyoure Christ the seconde person in trinite very god hauynge the humayne nature nowe vnite to the godhed and gloryfied can not any more suffre in that bodye violence or corruptiō ne be violate or brought to mortalyte Quia nō dabis sanctū tuum videre corruptionem And therfore what so euer mans senses affyrme of the violation corruption or destruction of the hoste consecrate a christen mannes faythe knoweth most certeinly that the most preciouse body of christ there present in that host is not violate is not corrupted is not destroyed for the faithful is asserteyned that Christus resurgens ex mortuis iam non moritur mors illi vltra nō dominabitur And therfore the same beynge truely taughte and enfourmed of goddes omnipotēcie consydereth that as Christ beynge conuersaunt in earth amonge the maliciouse Iewes before the tyme of his passion and when the same was not yet come as the gospell saith when the furiouse Iewes wolde haue precipitate him Transiens per medium illorū ibat And whē Herode slew al y e rest of y e children Christ beyng a child was preserued So in y e most blessed sacramēt of y e aulter how soeuer y e same be abused by mans malice or negligence or otherwise broken in the mystical vse of it yet the very body of our sauiour Christ there presēt continueth inuiolate impassible and is beyond the reach of any violence to be inferred by man beste or any other accidental occasion of any other cause ne y e true faithfull man can be induced by any worldly demonstration to departe or swarue from his true faith what so euer reasons may be made to the contrary he taketh them onely as tentacions of the deuill wherby to subuerte and ouerturne his stedfast faith being so firme stronge in a good christen man as the gates of hell can not preuaile against it muche lesse worldely fansies reasons or demonstraciōs and specially such as be grounded vpon the senses and carnal argumentes whiche can not atteine the secretes of gods mysteries The deuyl now a dayes diuulgeth by his wycked mynysters his leude tales of the abuses of the host consecrate when by to impugne the faith of the presence of the bodye of our sauyoure Christ And here is made mention of moulding mouse deuouryng with such lyke mysuses which the presēce of christes natural body if it were there as they say shuld defende wherein I wolde aske suche sorte of men as be moued by these reasones how moch these inconueniences so abhomynably tolde do excede and be more straunge wherby to shake our fayth but the wonderynge and murmurynge of our senses then those thynges whiche the churche doth daylye ordayne and openly do wherewith the true beleuers haue not ben offended Doth not the preiste daylye in the masse hath done alwaye breake the host consecrate in the syght of the people without offence or sclaūder of suche as haue these xv.c. yeres and do at this daye byleue the presence of the naturall bodye of Christ Haue not men of weake stomackes fearing they could not cōteine y e they receyued vsed reuerētly to forbeare to receyue y e most blessed Sacramēt where they certeynly beleued y e presēce of christes natural body to be able of power to heale body soule And haue eyther of these reuerēt vses amōge good mē empayred y e beleef amōg thē or good men ben inquisitiue howe god could be broken beynge impassible and presente in the sacrament of the aulter or bencuriouse to aske whye men shulde forbeare to receyue the sacrament for feare of any weakenes of stomack seinge god whome they beleue there present is able to heale al Good men were neuer offended with brekinge of the host whiche they dayly saw beyng also perswaded Christes body to be present in the sacrament naturally and really whervnto with worshyppinge they lyfted vp their handes and therewith nothinge doubted but god was inuiolable impassible when they saw the hoost broken in the masse ne vsed not to my struste goddes
his ascention that is to saye to speake to vs and companie with vs as he dyd with his apostelles and disciples or to be felte of vs as he was of saynte Thomas to the satisfaction of oure bodely senses whiche absence of Christe in conuersation repugneth not to y e truth of our catholyke faith whiche is that christ presenteth and exhibiteth vnto vs his natural body and bloud in the sacrament of thaulter For the diuersyte in the maner of beynges present taketh away the coÌ„trarietâ— that shulde seme in the matter Now as touchyng the myscoÌ„struynge wronge takynge and somtyme false bearing in hand of that the good holy fathers of Christes churche haue written of the most blessed sacrament oâ— thaulter First I shall saye this that howe so euer the same holy doctours do agre in the most certeyne truth of our beleef moche labour hath ben taken to pâ—ke out wordes and sentences and disâ—eueryng them out of theyr places by cyrcuÌ„stauÌ„ce wherof they had theyr true vnderstandynge to make them sound to such as wold haue it so to the coÌ„firmatioÌ„ of their vntrue and false doctrine in this most blessed sacrament And lyke as suche as labour to coÌ„found the truth be the chyldren of darkenes So in the scriptures and doctours also they resorte to serche the truth iÌ„ obscure darke places where they maye haue opportunite to iuggle and deceiue the symple reader For where the doctors speake playnly against theyr falsehead they fare as though they knewe not y t place or had not redde it and then resorte to an other place not so open and playne and there fall to coÌ„iectures and constructions of theyr owne and labour in exposition of those obscure places as thoughe they could there more certeynly declare the mynde of the doctours to conferme theyr lyes then the doctours theÌ„ self do in another place of theyr owne workes where they playnly openly manifestly and without ambiguite declare them selfe to agre with the truth And where as the truth grounded in scriptures and opened more clerely by holy writers hath ben in Christes churche â–ª after discussion and triall sette forth in a holsome fashion and coÌ„uenient ordre of wordes whiche wordes the true meanyng and vnderstandyng purged from all ambiguities whiche mans busy witte hath also in holy wordes engendred to thintent as we beleue one truth we myghte also in wordes speache vniformely agree in the same truthe Suche as labour to breake this godly agremeÌ„t in harte and tonge they neuer ceasse tyll by speache they maye brynge the truth agayne in a corner and with pretence they meane well speake symply without obseruation euen as they haue redde forsoth in that holye man for example in dede a holy martyr saint Cipriane for hym they alledge Whiche sainte Cyprians speche as it was by hym deuoutly vttered not disagreyng from the truth so is it by these men maliciously brought forth wherby to interrupte the consente truely agreed on bothe in the speache and vnderstandyng I wyll somwhat speake of this one speach of saynte CypriaÌ„ particularly wherby thou mayest esteme good reader the deuyls sophystrie in handelyng of y e reste We beleue truely as the catholyke church teacheth that there remayneth no substaunce of bread in the sacrament of thaulter but y e onely substaunce of the body and bloud of our sauiour Christe And yet sainte Cyprian speakynge deuoutly of the food and nourriture whiche good Christen men receyue in the communion of this mooste holy Sacrament whereby the body and soule be conioyned with Christe vseth the worde Panis and calleth y e blessed sacramente sacramentaleÌ„ panem whiche wordes be not perfitely expressed in englysh if in traÌ„slatioÌ„ it were termed sacrameÌ„tal bread as malicious fayned simplicitie pretendeth but rather sacrameÌ„tal fode for Panis in latyn is a general word signifieth not only bread wherew t meÌ„ be fed but also al other nourriture wherw t man is susteined which the word bread doth not in englysh but soundeth to vs a name of special nourriture foode made of corne Now if any man shall vnder pretence of symple playne speache cal always that breade in english which he findeth in laten called panis he myghte of well wheresoeuer he founde sella in latyn call it in englysh a saddell and then in translatinge some places oute of latyn into englyshe he shuld somtime set sodenly on horsebacke in englysh him that he redde in latyn sitting in a seat on y e grouÌ„d Herin the ignoraunt that perceiue not this wyll saye I vse sophistrye but I open the deuyls sophistrye herein wherwith he doth abuse the people in speache and entangle them so in it as they for want of other knowlege can not wade out therfore alloweth him that wheÌ„ he readeth in saint Cypryan y e sacramente of the aulter called sacrameÌ„talem panem calleth it in englisshe sacramentall bread And here he spurneth and wyll ye make me beleue sayth he that panis signifieth not breade then for confirmacion adde this Say we not in oure Pater noster PaneÌ„ nostruÌ„ quotidianem da nobis hodie whiche is translate in englisshe Gyue vs to day our dayly breade And in dede if I wolde replye throughly herevnto I muste saye more then it were necessarie now to entreate yet I may not passe it all ouer For I muste saye that panis in our Pater noster signified not only bread but all foode bothe for the body soule and is so well knowen by the exposition that in thenglysh when it is translate bread we may easely conceyue by a parte the reste and by signification of some parte the hole But where as there is an extour spredde by the deuyll abrode against Christes myracle in consecration of his moost preciouse body in the sacrament of the aulter â–ª whiche errour is that there shulde after y e consecracioÌ„ remaine bread in this time of errour to translate in euery place the word panis that signifieth in some place foode into the english worde bread can that be without a maliciouse purpose to aduaunce the deuilles enterprise with his sophistrie cloked vnder pretence of plaines After whiche sorte of outwarde simplicite wherwith to cloke malice Some when they shulde speake of the blessed sacrament with the catholike churche confesse the truth therin plainly openly then they say they will speake as saint Paule spake his wordes they wyl vse whiche were writteÌ„ by the holy ghost and for so muche they say true and herewith they wyll aske disdainefully whyther any man wyll correcte saynte Pauls teachinge as though there were any suche sacrilege intended against gods scripture where in dede this is onely desyred and necessary in Christes church that one shulde vnderstand another al coÌ„ceiue one true meaning of S. Paul whose moste holy true wordes diuers as s Peter sayth haue for y e hardnes of theÌ„ peruerslye vnderstanded them for the exchewynge whereof it
men neglecte them not and the deuyll shewethe him selfe so openlye as al maye se him that be not wilfully blynde And muche more euidentlye the same shall appeare vnto you by consideracion of these good vertuouse holy mens writinges in this matter whiche I haue reherced myndinge to be shorte passe ouer the great number that is to saye in this place al that syns these Myeres haue ben teachers and written for the edificacion of Christes churche besides a great manye of them that wrote before THyrdely let vs consider how the deuyl tosseth the wordes and first theword sacrament wherby he wolde it semed that by that name it was euer mente that it is onely a signe and tokeÌ„ of an inuisible grace and in as muche as it is a signe it is not the thing it self as the churche teachethe For a signe and a thinge whereof the signe is muste neades differre Wherevnto â–ª I saye that the worde Sacramente as manye other wordes in speache haue the like hath thre significations to oure vnderstandynge One moste general in whiche it signifieth any secrete hidden thyng without difference whither the same hydden thing be holy or no. And after that acceptioÌ„ it is applyed to many secrete matters and misteries both godly natural Another acceptioÌ„ is specyal is restrained to signifi the seuen special holy misteryes in our religion which we cal and be the .vii. sacramentes vnto whiche y e name sacrament is in the comen speache onelye applyed whervnto this diffinitioÌ„ is truely attribute a sacramente to be a visible signe of an inuisible grace Another acception is in a most special signification wheÌ„ we speake of the sacrament of the aulter whych doth vs vnderstande a specyall difference of excellencye from the other sacramentes as wherein is present the plentye of all grace and the purchacer of all grace receyued in the other sacramentes Chryste hym selfe Whereof when men be thus lerned and taughte and the thing so set forth truely as it is in dede it is then mere sophistrie to resort to disputacion of the word wherwith to ouerthrowe the truth of the thynge After whiche sorte they daly also that make foundacion of argument to proue y e substauÌ„ce of bread to remaine in the mooste blessed Sacrament bicause S. Paule calleth y e sacrament breade and yet in dede saynt Paul calleth it this breade whiche importeth a speciall vnderstandinge and to suche as truely beleue the myracle of christes coÌ„secration of his most preciouse bodye turnynge by the omnipotency of his myghty word the substaunce of breade into the substaunce of his naturall bodye to suche men of true belefe y e thing remayneth as it is ne is in their conscience altered with expression of y e name of that it was And that whiche before the consecration was commen breade with the naturall substaunce of bread is now by goddes speciall myracle in his secrete operation omnipotent the onelye substaunce of the bodye of our sauyoure Christe And so maye be called with an addition wherewith to marke the mistery this breade But whye shulde the name trauayle vs when we rede so ofte in scripture thinges to be named not as they be but as they were and the rod turned in to a serpent by gods miracle before Pharao styl to be called a rodde when it was a serpent but the rodde was conuerted by gods power into the serpent and styll called it a rodde when it was not so But why should men be so scrupulouse in names After god had signified to the patriarche Iacob that he shulde be called no more Iacob but Israell yet afterward the same scripture testifieth howe god spake to Israel ad puteum iuramenti and called Iacob Iacob Here if a man wolde trifle in the sounde of the worde Iacob shulde he not make an argumente to improue the truthe of that god had spoken wherewith the deuyll myghte inueigle the presumptuouse ignoraunt that estemeth him selfe so muche as he measureth al knowledge by his rude capacitie But here thexercised senses in learninge can consider how names be of two sortes sometime they do onlye signifie anye litle token of the thynge whervnto they be added and then we may not make foundacion of the name as declarynge hollye the thyng signified or to be demed the propre name After whiche sorte Chryst was called synne bycause he dyed for synne and yet had not synne in hym as the word shold import And when we speake thus that Chryste saueth synners we sygnify by the worde synners suche men as were synners and be by Chryst washed purged from synne mete to be receyued to saluacyon For as Saynte Paule sayth to the Ephesians Chryst purgeth his churche and leaueth neyther spot ne wrincle And when we call noughtye men christen men we signify not by the name what they be now in dede for they be the deuyls men and not Chrysten men but callynge them nowe Christenmen we signifie y t they were ones in the state of grace at the tyme of their baptisme We call a mans writinge also his hande onely because his hande wrote it In whiche sorte of naminges the significacion extendeth no further for declaracion of the thinge named theÌ„ the pointing or direction of a maÌ„s finger with a parte of speache called a pronowne as this or that Mary other names that be added to geue lighte and knowledge of the substauÌ„ce nature or chiefe qualitie of the thynge those be so ioyned and knytte to the thynge as they do not onely poynte it but open it also and be not onely an out warde marke of the thinge but presente to oure vnderstandynges what is conteined in the thinge it selfe And therfâ—re as the name Iacob was onely an outward marke of the corporall man of the patriarche So Israel declared the speciall fauoure of God wherby Iacob sawe god whâ—che the word Israell doth signifie the continuauÌ„ce whereof god promysed saienge he shulde no more be called Iacob but Israell Accordinge whervnto after the breade is consecrate by y e preiste goddes minister and by the omnipotâ—cye of Christes myghtye worde is conuerted into the bodye of Christe the name that â—ignifieth the substaunce of that sacramente is the body of Christe And therefore the same sacrameÌ„t can no more be called breade but the bodye of Christe as Iacob shulde no more be called Iacob but Israel And yet as scrypture sayth in the hystory oâ— Iacob God called after that Iacob againe by the name Iacob without preiudice of the truthe of goddes worde spoken before that he shulde be no more so called So Saynte Paule calleth the same holy sacrament breade because it was soo before the consecracyon and yet so he calleth it withoute preiudice of the truth that it is in dede beinge not breade but the very body of Christ at the time when it is by hym neuerthelesse called breade As Iacob was in dede Israell by goddes fauoure when he was after by gods mouth
teacheth this to be the true byleef of the most blessed Sacrament of the aulter that there is present the natural body and bloud of our sauiour Christe Good men in the same churche with theyr bodylye senses haue seen and herde as moch matter repugnaunt to theyr senses in the mysticall and deuoute vse of the blessed sacrament as the deuyl now telleth in scoffynge tales and yet therwith reteyned styl the same faith inuiolably wherfore al good men shulde lykewise do the same nowe without curiosite or serche how the same myght be whiche to good men shulde be a solucion for the hole matter For true byleuers knowe that as the handes of the mynisters that breake y e sacrameÌ„t in the masse the teeth also of them that receyue it ne y e naturall heate of theyr body wherin it desceÌ„deth doth no violence of passibylitie bringeth no corruption alteratioÌ„ or coÌ„sumptioÌ„ to the most precyouse bodye of our sauiour Christe no more can any beest y t shulde touche the host irreuerently or any temperature of the ayre and place in the moulding or alteryng of the hoste And further more I aunswer that beinge in the most blessed Sacrament of thaulter two considerations one that it is a sacrameÌ„t another y t it is also the thing it self of y e sacrament that is to saye Christes most preciouse body bloud albeit there is in y e host no substauÌ„ce of bread but only the substaunce of y e most precious body bloud of our sauiour Christ yet there is which appere to our bodelye senses the forme of bread and wyne vnder whiche the most precyouse substaunce of the bodye and bloude of our sauiour Christ is couered and hidden from our bodely eyes for our weakenes and infirmitie as Theophilus Alexandrius sayeth And when we call the Sacrament of the aulter God we vnderstand the substaunce of that sacrament which is Christ God and maÌ„ there present and accordinge to that vnderstandynge attribute all godly honour vnto it and in this speach the worde SacrameÌ„t sygnyfieth and gyueth vnderstandynge by a speciall signification and by excellencye as learned men speake of it the thynge signified there present that is to saye the bodye bloude of our sauiour Christ whiche can not be broken with hande can not be torne with teeth or be altered consumed moulded or deuoured of beeste or putrified ne herein the bodely senses can beare any witnes to the contrarye for they can not atteyne that But wheÌ„ we vse the worde Sacramente or the worde hoste and apply the speache of it to suche a matter as maye not be saide of the naturall body of Christ then the speache is verefied in those fourmes of bread and wyne vnder whiche the most precious body of christ is couered As when we say that the sacrameÌ„t is broken or moulded or altered it is only vnderstanded of the sayde forme of bread and wine beyng the outward accidentes as the qualities or dimensioÌ„s which god there preserueth not otherwise by outward miracle beyng theÌ„ susteined by his most preciouse bodely substaunce then when they be naturally ioyned to the substaunce of bread wherof that god thus doth not mannes senses because those accidentes be sensible may iudge for we se it so and those accydentes be perceptible by the bodely sight and sence and with the eye of the soule in fayth we se the presence of the most preciouse body of our sauioure Christe who there is the only substaunce of the sacrament so longe remaynynge vnder those accidentes as the fourme of bread and wyne vnder whiche by the omnipotency of his worde it pleaseth hym to exhibite hym selfe vnto vs doth remayne and coÌ„tinue Here the deuyll whyspereth If god were there he wolde not suffre thaccidentes corrupt or be violate by any outwarde violence Wherunto as I haue before touched I saye this is verely the deuils suggestion to make the foundacyon of our sayth not vpoÌ„ godly teachynge but vpon the continuall outwarde myracle and nothynge to be in myâ—â—ery whervnto mylde simplycite yeldeth but in al open violent signes suche as the vnfaythfull could not resiste And yet yf the accidentes of the hoste were by goddes power for declaration of his presence made impassible and incorruptible the deuyll wolde fur her require that mans body receyuynge the same shulde also be made impassible and incorruptible by the myght of Christes presence For els Magi Pharaonis wolde presume to couÌ„terfet the other myracle call it witchecrafte For the deuyl is calumniator and laboureth to depraue all thynge But good meane haue yelded to goddes true teachyng in his churche and subduyng the carnall vnderstandyng haue auoyded by his grace this tentacion of the deuyll to requyre outwarde signes as thoughe god shuld testify his presence in the moost blessed sacrament with preseruation of thaccidentes in the sacrament and theyr bodely state frome presente corruption and immortalitie that receyue hym and so the sycke manne by the holy communion to attayne streyghte bodely helthe wherin al though god hath somtyme for encreace of his glory and to the edification of his churche shewed his power yet it hath not ben requyred as necessary among good men and for the increase of our merite in faythe not expedient so as the holy martyrs who after they had for theyr strength in martyrdome which they sawe immineÌ„t receyued Christes moost preciouse body in the sacrament of thaulter continued neuerthelesse in their bodies subiecte to outwarde violence to be slayne as they were by tirauntes wherwith the reste of suche as truely beleued were not offended For if the carnall senses shall haue suche a preeminence and prerogatrue as the want of a newe outwarde myracle to theyr satisfactioÌ„ shall empayre the true faythe of goddes inwarde workynge with vs and for vs we maye worthely be called Gens incredula quae signum quaerit non dabitur eâ— By suche mystruste the Capharnaites loste the fruite of Christes teachynge but we shulde knowlege as the disciples of Christe dyd that Christes wordes be lyfe euerlastynge And surely suche as beleue not symply oure Moyses chryste and the holy prophetes of his churche they wyll gyue small credence to any other newe myracles though men rose agayne froÌ„ death to speake with them but rather study to dysproue all thynge that repugneth to theyr opynion who beyng lyfted vp by y e deuil in vayneglory of knowlege aboue y e pinacle of the temple thynke they had more wytte learning then al bysshoppes priestes that be mynisters of the temple But now coÌ„meth the deuill as a mediatour in an other cote and vnder pretence to satisfye all vnderstandynges he wolde haue the beleef in the sacrament in one poynt releaued wolde we shuld beleue the remaynynge of the substaunce of bread wherwith to assoyle the argumentes of the mouse and yet graunte the substaunce of the body of christ to be there for the substaunce and foode of christen men which kinde of
remembraunce of him And yet euyll men do receaue the same to their owne condemnation whiche good men do with a perfit remembraunce of christ whose benefites w t his preceptes they haue in effectual remembraunce Wherin forasmuch as the Corinthyans abused them selfe Saynt Paule threteneth them with gods sharpe iudgement whyche euerye manne procureth hym selfe when he receiueth the blessed sacrament vnworthely not consyderinge nor vnderstandynge that there is in that feast the very naturall bodye and bloud of our sauiour christ which s Paul signifieth in those wordes non dijudicans corpus domini Whiche wordes be translate in englyshe puttynge no difference betwene the lordes bodye And this place by suche as presumynge of their owne knowlege frame also a sense of their owne makynge or folowinge suche as willingly abuse their knowledge to subuerte the truth hathe ben mystaken and of some so taken as though the CorinthiaÌ„s were in those wordes blamed because they which is a fond imaginacion and yet men that waÌ„der alone go easely farre wide out of the right waye toke the sacrament to be the very body of christ and put no difference betwene it breade But saint Paule contrarywyse as tholde authors expounde that place declareth in those wordes non dijudicans corpus domini howe suche as eate vnworthely do not acknowledge whom they receiue For if they dyd they could not so abuse them selfe and therefore the worde dijudicans signifieth not puttinge no difference but not vnderstandynge not consyderynge as the greake interpreters say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not considerynge not vnderstandynge who is in that feast to be receiued whose presence if men considered they shoulde neade none other admonyshment howe to prepare them self to come thither and howe to vse them selues at the same And other scripture is lykewise misconstrued and crokedly expounded Spiritus viuificat caro non prodest quicâ— As thoughe it were to be vnderstanded that the presence of the natural bodye and bloude of our sauiour our christ were not fruteful to vs therefore by theyr reason shulde not be there where in dede our sauyour Christ refelled in those wordes the grosse vnderstandinge of y e Capharnaites as though oure sauiour christ had ment to distribute his natural body in lumpes of flesshe and so make them a feest of it and thervpon gaue a generall lesson vnto them whiche serueth for y e true vnderstandyng of our hole relygion which is that our godly lyfe is engeÌ„dred in vs not of the flesshe but of the spirite for quod natum est ex carne caro est quod auteÌ„ ex spuÌ„ spiritus est y t is borne of the flesshe is flesh and that is borne of the spirite is spirite and the faithfull men be not borne of the flesshe nor the flesshe reuealeth not the truth of god for the flesshye manne can not se goddes mysteries and they that dwell in the flesshe can not please god and thus scripture speakethe of the flesshe the carnal parte of man not illuminate by y e spirite of god and the Capharnaites fansied of Christes flesshe grossly to be cutte as buchers do in the market whiche so coÌ„sidered profiteth nothing but onely the spirite giueth lyfe And so spiritus viuificat caro non prodest quicquam the spirite gyueth lyfe and the flesshe profitethe nothing By which maner of spech the fleâ—she of our sauyour christes moost precious bodye beinge caro viuifica lyuely flesshe and whiche hath the holy spirite inseparablye annexed vnto it is not improued but as it is by goddes hygh power ministred vnder fourme of breade wyne is also most holsom most confortable vnto such as receyue it worthely of which christ spake Caro mea vere est cibus sanguis meus uere est potus panis quem dabo uobis caro mea est My flesshe is verely meate and my bloude verely drinke and the breade whiche I shall geue you is my flesshe And the speache of this scripture Caro non prodest quicâ— is in such wise to be taken as wheÌ„ saint Paule saith Scientia inflat charitas edificat wherein knoweledge is not vtterlye condemned but onely suche knowledge as waÌ„teth and is not tempered with charitie And lykewise littera occidi spiritus viuificat wherein not all letters and wrytinges be noted to do hurte but onely suche as be destitute and want right spiritual vnderstandinge And after y e same fourme said christ Spiritê° viuificat caro noÌ„ prodest quicâ—â— The spirit giueth lyfe y e flesshe profiteth nothyng whiche is as muche to saye after the order of vnderstaÌ„ding in the former speaches that the flesh porfiteth nothynge where the spirite of god wanteth whiche in the most blessed body of our sauiour Christ is alway present can not be seperate from it Thus I haue somwhat trauailed in thexpositioÌ„ of this text Caro non prodest quicâ— whiche in dede ê‘teyneth not to y e purpose of y e matter but only as the deuil wrangleth with it as he doth in susteining heresyes with many other and amonge other in this matter these If I go not from you sayth Christe the holy ghoste shall not comme to you And in an other place ye shall not se me for I go to my father And also in an other place I leaue the worlde and go to my father With suche lyke whiche sounde to improue the presence of Christes naturall body and blood in the sacrament of thaulter but sounde so onely to suche as before they marke this souÌ„de of wordes wold haue them to sounde so For that meane the deuyl vseth to inueigle men fyrste to allure them by â–ª some worldelye temptation to be incline able rather to this or that opinion and in many men not for anye respecte they haue to any truthe or falseshed but onelye bycause they had rather haue it vnderstanded so as they fansye then otherwyse And beynge so waywardlye affected they conceaue then of the scripture as they do of a confuse souÌ„de of belles that is to saye the selfe same sentence and meaning which they wolde haue taken and estemed for truth and none other And to such men so inueigled by the deuyll it is harde to induce the persuasion of truthe for they care not for it or be maliciouse and euyl wyllynge against the truthe And therfore wysedome as y e wyse man saith can not entre into them The deuyl for mayntenaunce of his errour he ceasseth not to note to the simple reader how Christ speaketh of goynge his waye and goyng to his father and in an other place of leauynge the worlde in an other place that he wyll be seene no more of theÌ„ And when y e spouse is gone then we shall wayle and faste All whiche in the true vnderstandyng signifie to vs the absence from vs of Christe in his bodely coÌ„uersatioÌ„ among vs in such sorte as he was before his passyon and before
immaculatus vnus I do euery day sayd saint Andrewe sacrifice to God almyghty whiche is the true and one god not the smoke of incense not the flesshe of lowing bulles not the bloude of gootes but I sacrifice dayly in the aulter of the crosse the lambe withoute spotte whose flesshe after all the faythfull people haue eaten it and droncke the bloude of it the lambe that is sacrificed contynueth hole and on lyue And all be it this laÌ„be is verely sacrificed and the fleshe of it verelye eaten of the people and the bloude of it verelye drunken yet as I sayde it remaynethe hole without spotte and styll on liue These be the wordes of the holye Apostle and martyr sainte Andrewe who knewe the truth of that is written by the euangelystes before the Euangelyes were wrytten and he knewe it taughte of our sauiour Christe and speakethe herein consonantlye to the wordes of scrypture and the faythe of the catholyque churche wherein yf thou wylte spurne because Saynte Andrew speaketh of daylye sacrifice and Sainte Paules true doctryne is that Christ was but ones sacrificed on the crosse then it was as saint Paule sayeth to the Hebrewes perfited for euer beynge a hole and sufficient sacryfice for all the synnes of the world Thou doest herein reherse a true sayeng of saynt Paule suche as all the worlde must confesse For the sacrifice of Christe is eternall and is one perfyte consummate suffycient auayleable sacrifice and nedeth no repetitioÌ„ or iteracion for the more validitie of it And yet this truth is nothing touched or preiudicate with y e dayly sacrifice of Christ in the aulter whiche to him y t beleueth is easely declared to hym that will wraÌ„gle against all truthe is in vayne entreated of and as Hylarius sayth Non est humano aut seculi sensu in rebus dei loquenduÌ„ Godly matters shulde not be commened of after carnall vnderstandynge â–ª But as saynte Andrewe spake so y e church doth practyse it For Chryste is daylye offered and sacryficed on the aulter If thou askest by what auctorytie it may be aunswered by thauctorytie of Chrystes word who said Hoc facite Do this and saynte Paule as Damascene noteth it sheweth howe longe in the wordes donec ueniat tyl he come hath from the beginning taught his church so to vnderstande hym â–ª If thou askest howe can ones manye tymes stande togyther This howe declareth yf if it be contencyous thou doest not yet beleue but arte in mystruste of the churche that teacheth the and if thou askest in humilitie Sainte Chrysostome in expoundinge that place of s Paule to the Hebrewes where he ones offeringe is spoken of openeth and dyscussethe thy doubte as foloweth Nonne per singulos dies offerimus Offerimê° quidem sed ad recordationem facientes mortis eius Et una est haec hostia non multae Quomodo vna est non multae Et quia semel oblata est illa oblata est in sancta sanctorum hoc autem sacrificium exemplar est illius idipsum semper offerimus Nec nuÌ„c quidem alium agnum crastina aliuÌ„ sed semper idipsum Proinde unâ— est hoc sacrificium Aliquin hac ratione quoniaÌ„ in multis locis offertur multi Christi sunt NequaquaÌ„ sed unus vbique est Christus hîc plenus existens illic plenus unum corpus Sicut enim qui vbique offertur vnum corpus est non multa corpora ita etiam unum sacrificium PoÌ„tifex autem noster ille est qui hostiam mundantem nos obtulit ipsam offerrimus nunc quae tunc oblata est consumi non potest Hoc autem quod nos facimus in commemorationem quideÌ„ fit eius quod factuÌ„ est Hoc enim facite inquit in meaÌ„ coÌ„memorationeÌ„ NoÌ„ aliud sacrificiuÌ„ sicut pontifex sed idipsum semper facimus magis autem recordationem sacrificij operamur Sed quia sacrificij huius meÌ„tionem feci uoeo pauca ad vos dicere quae recor damini pauca quidem mensura magnam autem habentia virtuteÌ„ vrilitatem Non enim nostra suÌ„t sed diuini spiritus quae dicuntur Quae ergo sunt Plurimi ex hoc sacrificio semel accipiunt in toto anno alij bis alij saepius Ad omnes ergo nobis sermo est non ad eos qui hîc suÌ„t tantum sed etiam ad eos qui in eremo sedent Illi enim semel in anno perticipantur fortassis enim post duos annos Quid ergo est Quos magis acceptamus Eos ne qui semel an eos qui saepius an illos qui rarò accipiuÌ„t Neque illos qui semel neque qui saepius neque qui rarò sed eos qui cum munda coÌ„scientia qui cum mundo corde cum uita irreprehensibili istùc semper accedunt Qui verò tales noÌ„ sunt neque semel Quid ita quia iuditium sibi accipiunt damnationem supplicium Et noÌ„ mireris Sicut enim cibê° naturaliter nutritorius extans si in eum qui prauis cibis corruptus est incidat omnia perdit corruÌ„pit efficitur occasio morbi sic etiam ista quae ad haec terribilia pertinent sacramenta Frueris mensa spiritali mensa regali iterum polluis coeno os tuum perungis vnguento praecioso iterum foetoribus illud imples Dic mihi rogo post annum perceptionem participaris quadraginta dies putas tibi sufficere admundationem peccatorum totius temporis iterum septimana transeunte trades teipsum scrdibê° primis Dic enim mihi si saluus factê° quadraginta diebus ab egritudine longa iterum te illis morbificatoribus cibis tradas nonne primum laborem perdes Si enim naturalia sic mutantur quanto amplius uoluntaria Vt puta ueluti quid dico Naturaliter uidemus sanos habemus oculos secundum naturam sed aliquando ex mala quadam affectione leditur noster obtutus Si igitur naturalia mutantur quanto amplius quae ad voluntatem pertinent Quadraginta dies tantum tribuis saluti animae tuae arbitror autem quia neê° quadraginta dies speras propitiari deum locaris magis I wyl traÌ„slate al this place for it maye edifie the reder in this other matter Do we not saith s Chrisostome offer daylye We do in dede offer but in remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of his death And it is one sacrifice not many Howe is it one and not many For being ones offered it is theÌ„ preseÌ„ted in y e inward most holy place wherof this our sacrifice is a represeÌ„tacioÌ„ so as we offer alway the same not one lambe now another at another tyme but at all tymes y e same So as it is but one sacrifice or els by the same reasoÌ„ bycause christ is offred in many places we myght saye there were many Christes whiche is
of hym whyche thynges thapostle speaketh not of anye spirituall or inuisible man for a spirite hath neither flesshe nor bones but it is spoken of suche an habitude disposicion and composition as man in his owne nature hathe whiche consysteth of flesshe and senewes beynge nourished of the cuppe which is Christes bloude and encreased of the breade whyche is his bodye This sayth Ireneus And Tertulian as foloweth Videamus nunc de propria christiani nominis forma quanta huic substantiae friuolae ac sordidae apud deum praerogatiua sit etsi sufficeret illi ê™ nulla omnino anima salutem possit adipiscinisi dum est in carne crediderit adeò caro salutis est cardo de qua cum anima deo alligatur ipsa est quae efficit vt anima alligari possit Sed caro abluitur ut anima emaculetur Caro inungitur ut anima consecretur Caro signatur ut anima muniatur Caro manus impositioÌ„e adumbratur ut anima spiritu illuminetur Caro corpore sanguine christi uescitur ut anima de deo saginetur These wordes be writteÌ„ in a worke made by this author for confirmation of the article of oure belefe for resurrection of the fleshe whereby to refel such as denied the same and in englysh they haue this sense Let vs nowe saith Tertulian consider the platforme of a christen mans state and se what preeminence is gyuen by god to the brykle vyle substauÌ„ce of the flesshe althoughe to it this prefermeÌ„t myght suffice y t no soule can attaine euerlasting lyfe onles it beleue whiles it is in the fleshe so euident is it that the flesshe is as it were the groundeselpece of mannes saluacion In whiche when the soule is knytte to god it is the flesh that bringeth to passe that it maye so be knytte yea also the flesh is wasshed that the soule may be clensed of her spottes The flesh is annoynted that the soule may be halowed The fleshe is marked that the soule maye be defended The fleshe by imposition of the mynisters handes is shadowed that the soule may be illuminate with the spirite The fleshe is fedde with the body and blood of Christ that the soule may be made fatte of god In these wordes be conteyned many good thynges declarynge the vse of the visible sacramentes in the begynnynge of the churche such as in these dayes some â—este and rayle at commenly besides the intollerable presumption agaynst the most blessed sacrament wherof how this man speaketh it is euident how so euer the deuyll vsed Frith as a mynystre to depraue him in this behalfe And yet this nourriture that mans flesshe hath by christes precious body is after an other maner as sainte Augustine saith then our coÌ„men nourriture is for non digeritur in carnis nostre substantiam sed ipse nos in corporat sibi Christes body is not digested into the substaunce of our flesshe but it incorporateth vs vnto it And note y e word digested appropriate to other common meates This most preciouse foode conserueth our substaunce as Damascene sayth maye therfore be called supersubstantialis but it is by incorporation of vs into it wherof here what Saint Cyprian saith that holy martir who expounding the Pater noster and declaringe the fourth petition in it PaneÌ„ nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodiè vnderstandeth it to conteyne a desyre of the holy communion in the blessed sacrament and saythe Ideo panem nostrum id est christuÌ„ dari nobis quotidiè petimê° ut qui in christo manemus uiuimus à sanctificatione corpore eius non recedamus Therfore we aske our daylye breade that is to saye Christe to be gyuen vnto vs that we which abyde and liue in Christ go not backewarde from the state of holynes and communion of the bodye Here Saynte Cypryan calleth the sacrament Chryste as he is in deede there present really and shewethe therewith an effecte of this holy communion that beynge so partakers of his most precyouse naturall body we maye be preserued in the continuaunce of our sanctificacion and not depart froÌ„ the felowshyp of Christes mysticall body the churche whiche churche Christ vniteth to him not onely spiritually by faith and charitie but also corporally by eating of his precious body drinkinge of his bloude declarynge that he loueth his churche as his flesshe as Saynte Paule writeth to the Ephesians where admonishinge the husbaÌ„des to loue their wiues as their owne bodies he sayeth No maÌ„ euer hated his owne flesh but nourisheth it as Christe dothe his churche for we be membres of his bodye of his flesshe and of his bones To whiche purpose Cirillus vpon the .xv. of Saynte Iohn writeth against an heretike as foloweth Non inquit negamus recta nos fide charitateque syncera Christo spiritualiter coniuÌ„gi sed nullam nobis coniuÌ„ctionis rationem secundum carnem cum illo esse id profectò pernegamus idque a diuinis scripturus omnino alienum ducimus Quis enim dubitauit Christum etiam sic uitem esse nos palmites qui vitam inde nobis acquirimus Audi Paulum dicentem quia omnes vnum corpus sumus in Christo Quia si multi sumus vnum tamen in eo sumus omnes enim vno pane participamus An fortasse putas ignotaÌ„ nobis misticae benedictioÌ„is virtuteÌ„ esse quae cum in nobis fiat nonne corporali ter quoque facit communicatione carnis Christi ChristuÌ„ in nobis habitare cur enim meÌ„bra fidelium meÌ„bra suÌ„t christi Nescitis inquit quoniaÌ„ meÌ„bravâ—Ì„a meÌ„bra suÌ„t christi meÌ„bra igitur Christi meretricis faciam membra Absit Saluator etiam qui manducat carnem meam bibit sanguinem meum in me manet ego in eo We deny not saith Cyril against the heretique but we be spirituallye ioyned to christ by faith and sincere charitie but that we shulde haue no maner of coniunction in our flesshe with christ that we vtterlye denye and thinke it vtterlye discrepant from goddes holy scriptures For who doubteth but christ is so the vyne tree and we so the braunches as we get thence our lyfe Here what S. Paule saith we be al one body with Christe For though we be many we be one in hym All we participate in one foode Thinketh this heretique that we know not the strength and vertue of the mystical benedictioÌ„ so this autor expresseth the holy sacrameÌ„t of thaulter calling it the misticall benedictioÌ„ which when it is made in vs doth it not make Christ by coÌ„municacion of his flesh to dwel corporally in vs Whye be the meÌ„bres of faithfull mens bodyes called the membres of Christ knowe ye not saith S. Paule that your meÌ„bres be the members of Christ And shal I make the membres of christ partes of the hores bodye God forbydde And oure sauyour also saith He that eateth my flesh drinketh my
bloud dwelleth in me and I in him Hitherto be Cirylles wordes whereby is declared our corporall habitacion in christe by this precious sacrament wherein is present christ him selfe â–ª wherof here what Hilarius Pictauiensis an olde author in christes churche in the .viii. boke de Trinitate vpon discussion of this question whither chryste be in vs by the veritie of nature or coÌ„corde agreaunce in our will aunswereth in this wise Si enim uerè uerbum caro factum est nos uerè uerbuÌ„ carneÌ„ cibo dominico sumimê° quo modo non naturaliter manere in nobis existimandus est qui naturam carnis nostrae iam inseparabilem sibi homo natus assumpsit naturam carnis suae ad naturam aeternitatis sub sacramento nobis coÌ„municaÌ„dae carnis admiscuit Ita enim omnes unum sumus quia in christo prÌ„ est christus in nobis Quisquis ergo naturaliter patreÌ„ in christo negabit neget prius noÌ„ naturaliter uel se christo uel christuÌ„ sibi inesse quia in christo prÌ„ christus in nobis unuÌ„ unuÌ„ in hijs esse nos faciuÌ„t Si uerè igitur carnem corporis nostri chruÌ„s assuÌ„psit uerè homo ille qui ex Maria natê° fuit chruÌ„s eÌ„ nosque uero sub misterio carneÌ„ corporis sui sumimê° per hoc unuÌ„ erimê° quia pater in eo est ille in nobis quomodo voluÌ„tatis unitas asseretur cuÌ„ naturalis per sacramentuÌ„ proprietas perfecta sacramentum sit unitatis If the worde was made verely fleshe and we verely receyue the worde beinge fleshe in oure lordes meate how shal not christ be thought to dwell naturally in vs who being borne man hath taken vnto him the nature of our flesshe that can not be seuered and hath put together the nature of his fleshe to the nature of his eternitie vnder y e sacrament of the communion of his flesshe vnto vs For so we be al one by cause the father is in Chryste and Christ in vs. Wherefore who soeuer wyll deny the father to be naturally in Christe he muste deny fyrst eyther hym self to be naturally in Christe or Christ not to be naturallye in hym for the being of the father in Chryst and the being of Chryste in vs maketh vs to be one in theÌ„ And therefore yf Chryst hath taken verelye the flesshe of oure body and the man that was verelye borne of y e virgyn Mary is Christ also we receyue vnder the true mysterie the fleshe of his bodye by meanes wherof we shal be one for the father is in Christ and Christ in vs how shal that be called the vnite of wyll when the natural propriete brought to passe by y e sacramente is the sacrameÌ„t of vnite I haue thus translate this holy fathers testimony farre exceding the capacite of the symple vnlearned and yet most euidently declaringe the mysterie of the sacrament of thaulter not to be thinuention of maÌ„ as these beastes now a dayes fayne but the godly tradicion of the truthe expressed in Christes wordes plainly truely receiued also taught and continued in the church syns the beginning by this mans testimony aboue .xii c. yeres past And were it not that I thinke good men wyll delyte to reade the truth I wolde esteme it labour loste to suche as be obstinate For they be as saint Paule saith ouerthrowen in their owne iudgement and so full of malyce as nothinge els can entre But I wyll not omytte for them to prosecute my purpose And nowe shall ye here what Theophylus Alexandrinus a noble author in christes churche and in the begynnynge of christes churche saieth who declaringe the gospel of s Marke and expoundyng the wordes of christe writeth in this wise Benedicens fregit i. gratias agens fregit quod nos facimus orationes super addentes dedit eis dicens Sumite hoc est corpus meum hoc scilicet quod nunc do quod nunc sumitis Non autem panis figura tantuÌ„ corporis christi est sed in propriuÌ„ Christi corpus transmutatur Nam Dominus ait Panis quem ego dabo caro mea est sed tamen caro christi non uidetur propter nostraÌ„ infirmitatem panis enim uinum de nostra consuetudine est si uerò carnem sanguinem cerneremus sumere non sustineremus propter hoc Dominus nostrae infirmitati condescendens species panis vini conseruat sed panem uinuÌ„ in veritateÌ„ conuertit carnis sanguinis Thenglysshe whereof is this Christe blessinge brake that is to saye gyuynge thankes brake whiche also we do adding praiers thervnto and gaue it theÌ„ saieng Take this is my body the same that is to say that I nowe giue you nowe take For the breade is not an only figure of the body of christe but it is chaunged into Christes verye bodye For oure lorde saide The breade whiche I shall giue is my flesshe yet the flesshe of christ is not sene in respecte of oure infirmitie for the breade and wine be accustomed vnto vs but if we shuld se the flesshe and bloude we shulde not endure to receiue it and therfore our lorde condescendynge to our infirmitie conserueth the fourmes of breade and wine and turneth the breade and wyne into the veritie of his flesshe and bloude Thus testifieth Theophilus and who can desire a more playne testimonye in whiche thou mayest also note howe the fourme of breade and wyne by goddes goodnes remaineth in respecte of oure infirmitie and yet the breade and wyne is turned in to the body and bloude of oure sauyoure Christe whiche speache implyeth a difference betwene the substauÌ„ce of breade and the fourme that is to say apparaunce of breade whiche euery symple wytte can not coÌ„ceiue but euery witte shuld humbly reuerently beleue For Christ sayde This is my body as appeareth testified by suche as I haue rehersed being witnesses of tholde worlde when there reigned in christes churche simplicitie faith charitie mekenes deuotion with feruent religion when goddes worde dwelt in mennes hartes and came neuer abrode to walke in mennes tunges but with maiestie and reuerence accompanied with all vertuous lyuynge where as nowe iesters raylers rimers players ianglers pratelers and simperinge parettes take vpon them to be admynystratours and officers to sette forthe goddes worde whereof they make a plurell number of wordes without all fruyte and effecte But I wyll leaue these and praye god amende them and adde the deuout writinges of saint Austen saynte Iherome and sainte Chrisostome touchinge the moost preciouse sacrament of the aulter And fyrst of saynte Chrisostome that he writeth vpon the .vi. chapter of s Iohn in this matter Necessariò dicendum quam admiranda mysteria cur data sint quaenam eorum vtilitas Vnum corpus sumus meÌ„bra ex carne ossibus eius Quare
thaulter towardes destruction whereof he made him self and entry by ouerthrowing that might stande in his waye and so the more facyly to assaulte the highest as he hath done and therein as I haue said maketh a great matter of the name of the masse wyll haue it called our lordes supper wherein he wyll haue all obserued as christ ministred it whiche this Gregory Nazianzene saith is not necessarye But we shulde here in gyue credite to oure mother the churche the piller of truthe who truelye teacheth vs that is truthe Who forasmuche as with the obseruation of this feaste in receyuyng eatynge and drynkynge Christes moost preciouse bodye and bloude is also celebrate the perpetual only pure sacrifice prophecyed by the prophet Malachie to be obserued and kept continually in the churche of Chryste whiche sacryfyce is the body and bloude of our sauyour Christ The same church hath receyued one worde of Hebrewe to signifie altogether and vsed in the latyn Missa in englyssh masse wherein besides the gloriouse presence of the body bloud of Christ the holy circumstaunces vsed and ceremonies doone be also manye godly and moost deuoute prayers spoken and vttered by the preiste as a common minister to the hole churche for and in the name of the hole churche by whyche churche Christ as heade is offered and the churche also as member of his misticall bodye is offered to god the father by hym as Saynte Augustine sayethe Ipsa per ipsum ipse per ipsam suetus offerri The church by hym and he by the churche accustomed to be offered So as the masse conteininge the hole supper that is to say the hole feast with the continuall oblation of the churche is by the deuylles inuention assaulted diuers wayes Some deny the masse because they reade not the worde masse in scrypture whiche and it were a good cause of deniall it shuld serue to renewe the Arryans heresye and to put out of the crede called Symbolum apostolorum whiche all Christen men receyue without contradictioÌ„ where filius is called consubstantialis patri Other allow masse they say but not priuye masses as though there were two sortes of masses where in deede the masse beinge but one and alwayes executed in the name of y e hole churche may by reason of the place be called priuate as it maye be by reason of saieng called a low masse and so differre from a masse sunge but els the churche by the common mynystre the preist executeth the masse her selfe howe fewe soeuer or howe manye be presente and whyther it be done at churche before y e multitude or in an oratory before fewe And yet with the name of priuate masses and deniall of them the vnlearned be slaundered as some be also with requeste of coÌ„munion vnder both kyndes as necessarye and not to be pretermitted In whyche pointe the deuyll goth aboute craftely to seduce the symple addynge a wordly instigation of enuye as thoughe the preistes had withdrawen the one parte of y e Sacramente of verye dysdaine to put a difference betwene the state of preistes and the state of lay men where in dede the obteyninge of communion vnder bothe kyndes shulde serue the deuyll onelye for an introduction to subuerte y e true belefe in the most blessed sacrameÌ„t Whiche matter only he entendeth leaueth nothing vntouched to obteine y e same For where the church teacheth truely y t vnder eche kind is coÌ„teined hole christ therefore now vnder the one kind eche man receiueth as much as vnder bothe vpon which grouÌ„d good deuoute meÌ„ haue abstained froÌ„ coÌ„munion vnder both kyndes coÌ„teÌ„ted them selfe w t one king of their good deuout mind if now vpon grudge of such as contente not theÌ„ selfe with the order they find in the churche y e church shuld graunt communion vnder both kindes to satisfye the false complaynt of necessite it must nedes engender a slaunder in the truth of the faith as thoughe hole christ were not vnder eche kinde which by the denil is only intended And in this matter of coÌ„munioÌ„ vnder both kyndes it was neuer denied but all states of men euer might and al state of meÌ„ in the beginning haue communicate in both kindes and among them children also nâ— there hath ben any lawe made to y e contrary as the deuyll surmyseth Onely this hath bene that good christen men beinge certainely perswaded vnder eche kinde of bread and wine to be coÌ„teined hole christ All suche christen men aswell preistes as other besydes the preiste that celebrate haue bene contente to receiue their communion vnder one kynde Whiche deuout custome when the deuyll by his ministers hath gone aboute to improue there was ones a lawe made to mainteine y e good custome againste the deuilles enterpryse as in thys realme â–ª the hole perlyament hath made the like whereby those be onely put to silence that say communion vnder bothe kyndes is necessary whiche is an opinion damnable and worthelye reproued but elles that by order of y e churche all men might communicate vnder bothe kyndes no man contendeth For first in the deuout custome of communion vnder one kynde wherein was professed the truth taughte by the churche in the sacramente of thaulter onely charitie was the rule whereby good men were moued for a semelynes decency in the church and eschewynge that they sawe sometimes vnsemely chaunce of thâ—mselfe without constraint of a law to forbeare that they mighte haue required no man by law expelled from that he myght haue asked Whiche charitie because it is now waxed cold and some men for singularite wold differre from the reste it is for conseruation of ordre well prouided by the lawe that no man shall presume to require furder then is necessary to the slaunder and offence of his neighbour but with humilitie conteine him selfe within the limitâ—es of common ordre whiche is the beautie and comelye state or euery number assembled beinge so muche regarded of sainte Paule as he willed men to forbeare to coÌ„panye with any brother that walketh out of order But here will be replied that christes ordre is to be preferred all other deuises And here commeth in the common place of scripture Frustra colunt me doctrinis hominum They worshyp me in vayne with the teachynges of men And these good me I spake of shall be called good fooles the whiche had zelum dei sed non secundum scientiam the zeale to god but not accordynge to true knowlege whiche now appeareth they wyll say when men se clerely Christes institution of this sacrament whiche when it is vsed accordynge to Christes institution is the sacrament and otherwise as they saye not And this worde institution is often repeted yet y e same word institution is not in scripture by those syllables but Saynt Paule speakethe of tradytyon of the vse of this Sacramente as he receyued it of oure lorde Ego enim accepi Ã